Senate votes: no raise in minimum sentence for DUI manslaughter charges

Mason Brown Staff Writer

Two weeks ago, the vehicle VCU sophomore Carolina Perez was in was struck at the intersection of Second and Canal streets. Perez, who sat at the point of impact in the accident, died later that morning.

Varinder “Vick” Chahal, the driver of the other car, had no injuries, as did his four passengers. Chahal is now facing charges of felony manslaughter, driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a blood or breath test.

Days before and mere blocks away, legislation killed by the Senate would have raised minimum sentencing for cases involving DUI manslaughter.

Had House Bill 49 passed, cases like the one involving Chahal – a 23-yearold VCU student from Springfield, Va. – would have had longer incarceration requirements in an effort to decrease incidences of drunken driving in the state.

Richmond prosecutors announced last week they would go before a grand jury to raise Chahal’s charge to involuntary aggravated manslaughter.

Richmond Chief Deputy Commonwealth's attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the reasoning for the elevated charges were because of he amount of alcohol consumed “as well as the aggravated driving behavior of accelerating into an intersection against the red light.”

One of Springfield's representatives, Republican Del. Dave Albo, said HB49